Folding bed.



L. A. BR-OWNLEE.

FOLDING BED.

APPLIOATION FILED APE. 13, 1909.

Patented July 5,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A 0 M w L. A.'-BROWNLEE. FOLDING BED.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 13, 1909.

963,273 Patented July 5, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FFICE,

LESLIE A. BROWNLEE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Serial No. 489,709.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE A. BROWNLEE, citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in beds of the folding type, and the invention has for its object a simple, durable and eificient construction of device of this character which may be readily operated by a child or other inexperienced person, and which when folded is very compact in structure, so as to be susceptible of being pushed under an ordinary bed or stowed in other small spaces.

With this and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding bed constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the bed in collapsed condition; and Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view illustrating the connection between the tester and one of the corner posts of the head of the bedstead.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved folding bed consists essentially of a bed bottom 1 that embodies a substantially rectangular marginal frame which consists of side rails 2 and top and bottom rails 3 and 4:. At its opposite ends the bed bottom is designed to be supported by the head 5 and foot 6 of the bedstead, which are preferably connected thereto at suitably elevated points by hinges 7 and 7 thereby admitting of the head and foot being turned about transverse axes and folded over against the bed bottom when desired.

The head and foot of the bedstead may be of any desired or approved construction or design and preferably embody corner posts 8, which in'the operative or vertical positions of the parts are arranged to project downwardly below the plane of the bed bottom to support the bedstead. In the present instance the corner posts are equipped at their lower ends with casters 9, whereby the bed may be conveniently moved from place to place when occasion demands. In order to normally maintain the head and foot 5 and 6 in an upright position and against becoming accidentally collapsed, I employ hooks 10 which are pivoted to the corner posts 8 and are adapted to enter eyes 11 carried by the side rails 2. It is to be observed however, that when the bed is not desired for use, the hooks may be readily swung back out of engagement with the eyes, whereupon the head and foot are folded over upon the bed bottom to assume the collapsed position, illustrated in Fig. 3. Inasmuch as the head and foot are arranged, in such position, in superposed relation to the bed bottom, the casters 9 are raised off of the floor, so that the bed bottom 1 rests directly thereon, it being found desirable, however, to provide the bed bottom with casters 12, which admit of the collapsed structure being readily pushed under an ordinary bed or the like, and which when the bed is set up are supported above the floor, as will be observed by reference to Fig. 1. In order to permit the head 5 to be folded over upon the foot 6, so that the parts will all lie in parallel planes, the hinges 7 are attached to upstanding blocks 13 that are secured at the rear ends of the side rails 2. The blocks 13 are preferably set back in spaced relation to the outer edges of the respective side rails so as not to interfere with sides 14 which are designed to be applied to the bed when the latter is to be occupied by a child, and which are fitted between the corresponding corner posts 8 and are preferably secured thereto by hook and eye, or other detachable connections 15. At their lower edges the sides rest upon the respective rails 2 and have depending dowels 16 which are arranged to enter sockets 17 in the'latter to brace the sides against lateral displacement, it being observed that the blocks 13 constitute abutments to further brace the sides against any inward movement. The sides also supplement the work of the hooks 10, and when in place insure positively against the bed becoming accidentally collapsed.

Secured at the inner corners of the frame of the bed bottom are a plurality of bracket blocks 18 that are arranged to support the bed springs 19. In the present lnstance these springs are composed of an outer frame 20- which rests upon the bracket blocks and within which is arranged a somewhat smaller frame 21 that is covered with wire mesh, the inner and outer frames being connected by a plurality of helical springs 22. In the preferred construction of the invention the brackets 18' are secured below the plane of the frame of the bed bottom, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, such an arrangement being advantageous in that the mattress 23 is supported upon the bed springs in such a manner as not to require removal when the bed is folded.

Where the bed is designed to be used in warm climates, its attractiveness is considerably enhanced by the provision of a tester that is carried at the upper end of the head 5 and is arranged in operative position to project forwardy therefrom in overhanging relation to the bed bottom. The tester embodies a frame 24 composed of two similar rails 25 and 26 that are connected at intervals by a plurality of bars 27, the rail 26 being disposed below the other rail in the normal position of the tester. Each of the rails 25 and26 is substantially U-shape and consistsof side bars and a cross bar connecting the side bars at one end.

28 designates two longitudinal rods which are carried by and disposed in the direction of the side bars of the rail 27 and which are preferably provided at their ends with screw knobs 29 and are supported in proximity to the knobs in screw eyes 30 secured in said rail. Extending between these rods 28 is a transverse rod 31 to the opposite ends of which are fixed apertured heads 32 that are slidingly mounted upon the longitudinal rods 28, whereby the transverse rod may be adjusted toward and away from the head 5, as desired. From the rods of the tester are suspended curtains 33 of mosquito netting. or the like, which extend downwardly to complete the canopy over the bed and effectually screen the occupant thereof from mosquitos or like pests.

At. their ends opposite to the cross bar, the

side bars of the rail 25 extend beyond the outstanding in the present instance from up wear plates 36 that are secured ing walls of the slots 34. By

at the opposvirtue of this arrangement'the projecting ends of the upper rail will bear against the end walls of the slots. 34, whereby to limit the turning movement of the tester frame about its pivots and normally maintain the same in horizontal position. At the same time the tester frame is rendered susceptible of being turned backwardly when not desired for use, and

by means of the peculiar connection hereinbefore recited and particularly the outstandin pairs of ears 35, the tester frame is adapted to assume a position against the rear face of the head 5 to lie substantially in the plane thereof. In this inoperative position of the tester, the rail 25 has its side portions contacting with the adjacent corner posts 8, the latter being formed with recesses 37 for the reception of stops 38 carried by the rail, thereby bracing the structure and relieving the pivots of the tester frame of undue strain. In the practical use of the bed when the same is set up, as seen in Fig. 1, and itbecomes desirable to fold the bed to economize space, the sides 14 are first removed. curtains 33 are then passed up about the tester frame and the latter is swung over against the rear side of the head 5. By releasing the hooks 10 the foot and headv are folded successively upon the bed bottom 1 with the head resting on the foot and the tester arranged in superposed relation to the head. The parts thereby assume positions in substantially parallel planes to afford the compact structure,illustrated in Fig. 3, which may be pushed out of the way beneath an ordinary bed or may be otherwise stowed in a comparatively small space. By reversing the foregoing operation, the parts of the bed may be returned to their operative positions. Among the many advantages residing in this invention, attention is particularly directed to the fact that the folding or unfolding operation may be eifected with expedition; that the bed is particularly adapted for use where floor space is at a premium; that it consists of comparatively few parts that are not likely to get out of order; and that it may be easily and cheaply manufactured at a reasonable cost.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is: Y

1. The combination with a bedstead including a bed bottom and a member extendng vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a tester connected to the upper end of the member and supported, in operative position, in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the tester being pivoted to the member and being adapted to be turned over on the opposite side thereof from the bed bottom, whereby to assume'an inoperative position.

2. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a tester pivotally connected to the upper portion of the member and supported, in operative The position, in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the tester being adapted to be turned 'over to lie against the opposite side of the member from the bed bottom and in substantially the same plane as the member, whereby to assume an inoperative position.

3. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a tester including a frame pivoted horizontally. to the upper end of the member and arranged to be supported in an operative position in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame being adapted to be turned over to lie against the opposite side of the member from the bed bottom and in substantially the same plane as the member whereby to assume an inoperative position.

4:. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a substantially U-shaped tester frame supported, in operative position, in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, and including transversely spaced side bars and a cross bar connecting the side bars at one end thereof, the other ends of the side bars being pivoted horizontally to the upper portion of the member, the frame being adapted to be turned over on the opposite side of the member from the bed bottom, whereby to assume an inoperative position.

5. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, the member being formed with transversely spaced vertical slots opening through the upper end thereof and being also provided in proximity to the respective slots with pivot supports outstanding from the member on the opposite side thereof from the bed bottom, of a tester frame including side bars pivoted horizontally at one end to the respective pivot supports, the side bars being arranged to rest upon the lower walls of the slots to support the frame in an operative position in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame being adapted to be turned over to lie against the opposite side of the member from the bed bottom and in substantially the same plane as the member.

6. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a tester frame pivoted horizontally at one end to the upper end of the member and arranged to be supported in an operative position in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame being adapted to be turned over to lie against the opposite side of the member from the bed bottom and in substantially the same plane as the member, whereby to assume an inoperative position, and an interlocking connection between the frame and the member in the inoperative position of the former, whereby to relieve the pivots of the frame of strain.

7. The combination with a bedstead having corner posts extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a tester frame pivoted horizontally to the upper ends of the posts and arranged to be supported in an operative position in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame being adapted to be turned about its pivots to assume an inoperative position in substantially the plane of the corner posts.

8. The combination with a bedstead having corner posts extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, the posts being formed with vertical slots opening through the upper ends thereof and being also provided in proximity to the slots with pivot supports outstanding from the posts on the opposite sides thereof from the bed bottom, of a tester frame including side bars pivoted horizontally at one end to the respeotive pivot supports and adapted to rest upon the lower walls of the slots to support the frame in an operative position in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame being adapted to be turned over to lie substantially flat against the opposite sides of the posts from the bed bottom.

9. The combination with a bedstead having a member extending vertically above the bed bottom at one end thereof, of a substantially U-shaped tester frame secured to the upper portion of the member in overhanging relation to the bed bottom, the frame including transversely spaced side bars secured at one end to the member and a cross bar extending between the other ends of the side bars, longitudinal rods extending in the direction of the side bars and secured at their ends thereto, and a transverse rod extending between the longitudinal rods and having its ends slidably mounted thereon.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESLIE A. BROWNLEE. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

FRnnRIoK J. MEI-IRTENS, HORACE I. MASSIE. 

